Windshield Wiper Well

[Lee McGlamery]

I am currently restoring the windshield wiper well on my 70. Someone has previously painted the bottom of the wiper well with a petroleum based material similar to undercoating. The material has cracked and peeling in places but I have been unable to totally remove it. My question - should I float several coats of resin over the area to seal it and even it out or will the resin also crack? Other options I have considered is using bondo or using fiberglass and resin.

Your advice is greatly appreciated. See you at Carlisle!!!

Thanks

Lee McGlamery

[Mike Baker]

Re: Windshield Wiper Well

Have you tried a heat gun to soften it up?

[Bob D.]

Re: Windshield Wiper Well

That petroleum based substance is the original sealer that the General used when he built the car. The Tech Manual mentions that you may find some of that on the wiper transmission also.

[Lee McGlamery]

Re: Windshield Wiper Well

Thanks for the info. I am trying to correct the flaking and cracks in the material and I think that applying undercoating over top of the existing material and then shooting it with semi-gloss black would put it back close to original.

[Bob D.]

Re: Windshield Wiper Well

Lee, I think the well area should be shot with engine compartment black out as the sealant was applied before black out. The wiper connecting rods are semi-gloss black and the adjusting bolts and hardware are unpainted. Hope this helps.

[Joe L.]

Re: Windshield Wiper Well

Bob and Lee----

Yes, the guy that applied that stuff was a guy that used to work for Chevrolet at the St. Louis Corvette plant. He doesn't work there anymore, though, so I doubt that we'll ever be able to catch him and "show him the error of this ways".

[Lee McGlamery]

Re: Windshield Wiper Well

I took the route of a heat gun and it did an outstanding job removing the black out (more like a road that had been freshly coated with tar). I removed about 2 pounds of the stuff and just recoated the area with black out using more care than when the car was produced. It really looks nice now and I really appreciate everyone's help. I know, now it is not original but is close. It is amazing how all of us do so much to make things right even though you cannot see the fruits of our labor.

Thanks

Lee